Water-stage recorder.



W. N. MCCONNEL.

WATER STAGE RECORDER.

APPLICATION man JAN. 4. 1915.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W-N-M%Qonnel i W. N. McCONNELu WATER STAGE RECORDER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1915.

1, 1 97,943 Pawnted Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

grvucnkm W-N- MQonnel UN TED STAThS V ILLIAE'YI IN. MGCONNEL, (BF 33015313 Khaki-l0.

A lieation filed Januar- 1M5. P .v

To 117/ [via/m1 it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLi'AM l l. McCon- MIL. a citizen of the United States, residing at Boise. in the county of Ada and btate of Idaho. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ater-Stage Recorders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a float-ope 'ated recordinn instrument, designed to make a record of *al'er heights according to time dirisions. showing variations of such heights during a. stated period of time, the marker which makes the record on the record sheet being controlled by a clock, for the purpose of proriding a. record which an be easily read and understood.

The device will be found particularly useful in connection with irrigating systems, to indicate changes in water levels. but may be applied or used to indi :ate tides and re cord the variations thereof; to indicate the depths of streams at various times; the amount of rainfall in a given time. or for any other use where it is desired to make a record of varying water heights according to time divisions.

The advantages of the construction and. operation of the recorder will be evident from the following desrrhtion and the mzcompairving drawings. in which-- Iliigure 1 is a side elevation of the instrument showing the same supported above a body of water; Fin. an end elevation of the instrument: Fig. 3 is a. oetail in section of the gearing and drum which carries the record sheet; Fig". l is an end elevation; Fin. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. (3 is a top plan of a modilicatim showing a dill'erent form of pencil car -er.

Retina-lug speriacally to, the drawings, (3,

indicates a. record sheet which is placed upon the drum 7, the sheet. being ruled lengthwise to indicate height divisions in feet 01' inches. and ruled circumiierentially to indicate time divisions. This, sheet is wound around the drum and ma be re moved and renewed at intervals. The d llllll supported at one end by a ring spider S and at the opposite end by aring spider 9. the latter having a. stub shaft 10 provided with a QOill 11 which meshes with a pinion 1'2, the shaft 12, ot which carries a groove-d wheel ll over which passes a. wire 15 connected at one end to a. float 16 and at th other end to a. counterweight 15?. A 2h Specification of Letters Eatent.

Serial lie. 359.

Fihe reducing gearing that I have employed is 1 to 10. but it may he of any ratio desired, or it may he omitted. and the wire applied to the rim 18 of the spider 9.

The drum is supported between stand a-rds 19 which are mounted on base plate 20, the support 19 at the left also carrying the bearing piece :21 for the reducing gearing. The drum is adi-ustably held between the standards by mains of screw pivots '22 and 2-3 which may he fastened at adjust ment Toy lock nuts 52%, and the base plate is provided with apertures in vertical aliuement with the grooved rirn 1S and the grooved wheel 1% for the passage of the wire 15 connecting the float and counterweight, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. i

lhe marker conveniently consists of a. pencil mounted in a tube 26 which is supported in openings in the upperand lower plates 27 and 28 of a frame 2. which is slidable on a rod 80 extending lengthwise above. the drum hctween the standards 19. A wire 31 is connected to one end of the frame. and passes over a pulley 32 to connection with a weight 33 tendin to pull the frame anid marker to the .ig'ht. A

l point of the pencil against the ."ord sh On the opposite side the frame Bonnected h a wireifi, which passes over die; 36. to a. drum mounted on the ling arbor :38 of a clock 39. llen the ioric wound. the pencil ear ier drawn in the end of the record sheet, and as the arhor turns when the clock is running the wire unwound from the drum and the weight pulls the marker toward the opposite end of the record sheet.

The instrument may be mounted on a platform i0 ahore a body of water on which the float rests. and a cover ell ma be provided to inclose the same. and locked to prerent tampering therewith.

it is desirable to set the recorder on the drum at a certain l'uglc height of water he tore the instrument begins to operate. and for this purpose thedrum 7 ma)' be turned upon or with respect to the spider 9. to bring the desired longitudinal or height line on the record in registry with the marker. Therefore the drum may be turned to set the. same. and when in desired position it is held in ;"U.1S of a spring clip which is e an drum and has a point 51 en- Ill;

gegeeble in any one of a series of notches formed in the raised rim of the spider 9, and when so set the clip holds the {mete I? and 9 so that they will thereafter rotate to gether.

It is also desirable or necessary "that the point of the pencil, at the start, he set actly on one of the circular time lines on the record. When the clock is Wound there "is usually it slight erroneous positioning of the pencil incident to the distance between the teeth on the ratchet of the Winding erher of the clock .which ratchet is caught a dog in the usual manner, and to correct any error in 'this respect/ ami to position the pencil point exactly on the first line of the record sheet, the wire 35-is connected to the frame 29 by means of a swivel screw After the clock is Wound, this screw can be turned to let out or take up enough Wire to locate the pencil point exactly on the time line.

The modification shown in Figs. l, 5 and 6 relates especially to the pencil carrier which slides on the rod 30. It comprises cross piece 60 with a hole for the rod 30. One end of this cross piece is provided with an enlargement 61 with an opening through which the pencil 25 fits. This opening en tends at an inclination so that the penci will set at an angle longitudinally to pas. over the record sheet without catching or tearing the some as it would be apt to do iii set perpendicular to the surface. 'The penoil is held by a thumb screw 62. Also, the pencil is held out to one side of the direct vertical line between the center of the drum and the rod 30, so that; the pencil point is presented at an angle transversely, whereby it Willride over the lapped end of the rec- 0rd sheet as the sheet revolves in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. i and thus will not catch on the lapped edge. The sheet is conveniently held on the drum by Wrapping the same around the drum and lapping and pasting its ends. On the opposite side of the piece 60 it is provided with a headed pin 63 which is set radially with respect to the drum and held in contact therewith by a spring 6% with suflicient pressure to hold the point of the pencil to the surface of the sheet, the piece 60 being free to rock slightly so that the pencil will follow slight irreguluritics of the surface. The wire 35 consistsof one piece which is connected at one end to the drum 37nnd at the other end to theweight 33, and isiiwouncl or Wrapped around in a groove in a pin 6% which is supported by two lugs 65 on the cross-piece 60. This pin has a screw nut 66 to tighten the same. To set the pencil exactlyon the time line, the pin 64 may be turned to adjust the carrier one Way or the other, after which it is fixed by tightening the nut 66. This adjustment is quickly and easily made, and

the i made SllOWl inasmuch the tension on the wire 33 at both of the our orncticslly the 3: inc, 'iiere 1.51 no danger or tilt: Wire slipping on In op {the drum is first seit 1y loosstain! the cl 9 50 and turning thc-injme to hr the desired height line to register witli the pencil. The clock is then wound which Winds the Wire on the drum 3'? and draws the pencil to beginning or left end of the drum. pencil then adjusted by the means described to register the some ectly with the first time line. Then. the rise and fall 0; .-;e flout will turn the drum nccording to variations in the Water level, and the clock runs the Wire unwinds from the drum and the Weight 33 draws the pencil over the surface of the record sheet, giving 3 mark thereon according to the two factors time and A record will thus be aiei ght. g the variations in the water level during the time the clock runs. An ordinary clock may be used by simply sob timing :1 Winding drum on the winding 21].- hor, and the record sheet may be changed often as necessary.

I claim:

it. in s WilallBF- stage recorder the combination with e fleet operated rotary record drum and aguide extending along the drum, of c cloch o'pemted winding drum, carrier movable along: the drum and provideiil with a marker for the record, means oth the elect: epeintetl' drum te: the carrier along the guide, n, connection between the win mg di or V the carrier to control the movement of the carrier.

In a recorder the comhinetiom'with a, fleet operated movable record sheet, of a, carrier, clock mechanism, means other than the clock mechanism tendin to move the carrier across the sheet, a. exible connection between the clock mechenisnrnnd the carrier, and adjusting means to verythe position of the carrier with relation to the clock.

30 In a recorder the combination with a. float-operated movable record sheet, of a carrier and marker, a clock mechanism, means other than the clock mechanism tending to move the carrier across the sheet, a flexible connection between the clock mcchw nism and the carrier, and. means for adjusting the length of: the flexible connection to vary the position of the carrier with respect to the clock,

4, In a; recorder, the combination with a, record sheet, of a carrier, a clock mechanism, a marker carried by the cerrier and adapted to mark the sheet, means tendin to move the carrier in one direction across t e sheet, and means governed by the clock and connected to the carrier to retard mob. movement ac cording to the clock operation.

drum secured at one end to a suitably jeurnaled spider and supported at itsother end for rotary ad uStInent upon the actuated tion the marker initially with respect to the sheet. I

6. In a'recorder the combmation oi en actuated rotatable spider, at record. sheet spider, a marker movable longitndinaliy oi the drum, and means to lock thedrum to the actuated spider after rotary adyustnient.

7 In a recorder, the combination with efloat and counterweight, of a record-sheet drum secured at one "end to a circular spider suitably journaled and supported at its other end for rotary adjustment upon a float-controlled spider suitably journaled, a marker.

adapted for time controlledmovement longitudinally of the drum, and means lock the drum to the float controlled spider to properly position the marker relatively. te

the record sheet.

8. In a recorder, the combination with a record drum, of a guide extending along the same, a cross piece pivotally mounted and slidable on said guide, a marker carried by aid cross piece and bearing against the drum at one side of the guide, and a spring pressed member carried by said eross-piece bee-ring the drum at the opposite side, of the guide. I

9. in e recorder, the combination with a, record drum, of :1 guide extending along the same, a marker carrier slidabie on said guide, a Wire adjustebiy connected to the carrier andentending in opposite directions therefrom, it Weight connected to one end of the Wire, and a cloclncontrolled device connected to the opposite end of the Wire.

10, In a recorder, the combination with a record sheet, of a'inerker carrier movable across the same, means-tending to move the carrier in one direction, end a clock-con trolled let-oiif device connected. to the carrier and adapted to permit such movement thereof according to the clock operation.

11; in. a Water-stage recorder, the comhinetion with floatoperated rotary record drum, a guide extending parallel with the drum, a carrier movable on the guide and provided with e. marker for the "i ecord, means tending to pull the carrier along the guide, and a time mechanism, of a winding drum rotated by the Winding arbor of the time mechanism and provided with a flexible connection to the carrier.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- WILLZAM N. McCO'NNEL. lVitnesses W. G. Srnwmn, 'D. J. PAUL.

lit) 

